Alexander Palace

Alexander Palace is a neoclassical imperial residence in the town of Pushkin (Tsarskoye Selo), on the outskirts of St. Petersburg. The palace was built in the late 18th century and later served as the principal residence of the last Russian imperial family.

Visitors typically see restored interiors, state rooms and exhibitions relating to the Romanov period and to the palace’s use by Nicholas II and his family in the early 20th century. The ensemble includes palace interiors and surrounding parkland laid out as part of the larger Tsarskoye Selo imperial complex.

Designed by the architect Giacomo Quarenghi and completed in the 1790s, the palace was used by subsequent members of the imperial family and later underwent changes in use during the Soviet period. It suffered damage during the Second World War and has been the subject of conservation and restoration work since the late 20th century.

The Alexander Palace stands in Pushkin (the town commonly referred to as Tsarskoye Selo), roughly to the south of central St. Petersburg and within the broader imperial parkland that contains several palaces and gardens.

• Imperial residence focus: Located within the imperial estate of Tsarskoye Selo (Pushkin), the palace is linked to the final Russian imperial family and related exhibitions often focus on late 19th- and early 20th-century imperial life.